


After the Ball

by unspeakable3



Series: welcome to the most noble and ancient house of black [10]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings Realization, Ficlet, Ficlet Collection, Hufflepuff & Slytherin Inter-House Friendships, Hufflepuff/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), POV Regulus Black, Pre-Relationship, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Regulus Black-centric, Slytherpuff, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 17:38:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19361554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unspeakable3/pseuds/unspeakable3





	After the Ball

**Summer, 1977**

“Tilly is getting very old,” the house-elf observed in a whisper, not wanting to wake Clementine up. “Perhaps Master Regulus can help Tilly bring the little Miss to bed?”

Regulus frowned at the house-elf for a moment or two (why did she need his help when she could just use her magic to get Clementine upstairs?) before he overruled his better judgement and scooped the sleeping girl up in his arms. Her body was soft beneath the slightly scratchy material of her dress and he smiled at the way she murmured and leaned her head against his chest. Mercifully she didn’t wake, and Regulus followed Tilly up the stairs as quietly as he could.

Clementine’s bedroom was large and airy with a high ceiling and tall windows overlooking the back of the property, but was just as cluttered as he might have imagined it to be. There were photographs and letters plastered all over the walls along with, he noticed with delight, some of his own drawings. She must have swiped them from his sketchbook when he wasn’t looking. Her dressing table was covered with glittering jewellery, hairbrushes, tubes of makeup and tiny vials of potions. Her wardrobe was wide open with so many pastel-coloured silks and chiffons bursting out of it, discarded shoes strewn across the floor. The room was very Clementine.

He carried her to the large bed in the middle of the room and placed her down gently as if she were as fragile as a porcelain doll. She murmured again and rolled onto her side, burrowing her face in the soft white pillows.

“Tilly is just needing to fetch something,” the house-elf said mysteriously, and disappeared from the bedroom.

Regulus sat down gingerly on the edge of Clementine’s bed, and carefully brushed a strand of silky hair from her face.

“I will not let anyone hurt you, ever again,” he vowed, and bent down to quickly brush his lips against her soft cheek before her house-elf could return. 


End file.
